Modi government threat to India’s unity, says Thackeray

Thackeray also accused Modi and Shah of looting Mumbai by using the divide-and-rule policy. “Modi and Shah know that if all Marathi leaders and voters split into factions, it will be easy for them to loot Mumbai and Maharashtra; that was the reason Shiv Sena was split into two,” he said

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visit to the United States amid the ongoing bloodbath in Manipur and the rise in communal tension across the country. Declaring that the Modi government was triggering riots in every state in order to come back to power in the 2024 general elections, Thackeray said it was a threat to India’s unity. All patriotic parties, he added, were going to join hands to save the country from the BJP.

Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's faction is holding a key meetting of its office bearers at NSCI Worli in Mumbai today, ahead of Shiv Sena's foundation Day in Mumbai. HT photo

The Sena (UBT) chief was addressing a statewide one-day convention of the party on Sunday to discuss various issues with party office-bearers. During his speech, he came down heavily on Modi for his failure to control riots in Manipur. “Manipur is burning and the PM is busy preparing for his US tour,” he said. “If he has the guts, he should visit Manipur and ensure peace in the region instead of going to the US. But he and union home minister Amit Shah, who keep threatening opposition parties with the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation, have failed to control riots in Manipur.”

Thackeray said the BJP government was trying to polarise the country for political gain in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “The government is creating riot-like situations to regain power,” he said. “They are a threat to the country’s unity. “But all patriotic parties are joining hands to fight against BJP. I am going to Patna to attend the all-party meeting on this.”

Thackeray, dwelling on the ruling party’s oft-repeated statement that the opposition had no worthy candidate for prime minister, said the latter was not more important than throwing the central government out of power. “India under Modi is following in the footsteps of Nazi Germany, as the BJP wants to bring a presidential dictatorship in the country,” he said. “It needs to be thrown out.”

Thackeray also accused Modi and Shah of looting Mumbai by using the divide-and-rule policy. “Modi and Shah know that if all Marathi leaders and voters split into factions, it will be easy for them to loot Mumbai and Maharashtra; that was the reason Shiv Sena was split into two,” he said.

On the other hand, Thackeray also criticised the Congress-led government in Karnataka for removing the chapter on Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar from school textbooks. “We respect Savarkar and call him Swatantraveer (freedom fighter) for his contribution to the freedom struggle,” he said. “But the BJP government under the leadership of Modi-Shah is trying to destroy that freedom and bring in dictatorship. If Devendra Fadnavis has the guts and his love for Savarkar is real, he should speak on that.” Thackeray also warned the BJP that even the British failed when India stood unitedly against them in the freedom struggle, and the arrogant regime of Modi-Shah would meet with the same fate.

Thackeray also declared his support for the uniform civil code (UCC). “I have no problem with the UCC and will support it, but then all should be equally treated before the law and the government,” he said. “Union home minister Amit Shah should tell Hindus what issues they are going to face once the UCC comes into force.”